Means for making continuous concrete pipes or tiles.



T; 0. BERRY. MEANS FOR MAKING CONTINUOUS CONCRETE PIPES 0R TILES- APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 5. 1914.

1,150,487. Patented Aug. 17, 1915.

INN/ENTOR 17w 367719,

WITNESSES ATTO R N EY COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH C0..wAsl-nNGro N, n. C

THOMAS O. BERRY, OF COAHOMA, TEXAS.

MEANS FOR MAKING CONTINUOUS CONCRETE PIPES OR. TILES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented An. 17, 1915.

Application fil ed September 5, 1914. Serial N 0. 860,385.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, TnoMAs O. BERRY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Goalioma, in the county of Howard and State of Texas, have invented a new and useful Means for Making Continuous Concrete Pipes or Tiles, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to means for making continuous concrete pipes ortiles, and is designed more particularly for the pro duction of elongated lines of buried pipe for irrigation and other purposes without attempt to produce straight sections of pipe.

In accordance with the present invention there is provided an elongated flexible helix formed of a suitably coiled fiat strip of metal with the coils normally slightly separated, and extending lengthwise through the helix is a flexible inextensible strand swiveled at one end to the corresponding end of the helix and at the other end connected to the helix through theintermediary of a spring, the helix being provided with means for its rotation at the end where thespring is located, this means of rotation being preferably a crank. With such a structure constituting a core, a suitable cement mixture is deposited in the bottom of the trench, the core is partially embedded therein, and more mixture is deposited upon the first laid mixture and uponthe core. The concrete sets sui'liciently within a short time to permit the withdrawal of the core, which is accomplished by twisting the handleend of the core causing a reduction of its diameter through a material portion of its length, the frictional resistance of, the exterior of the core against the cement serving to prevent the core from simply rotating without reduction in diameter, By moving the core longitudinally it is withdrawn from the already lodged pipe or tile, and because of the slight separation of the turns of the helix and the thin character of the metal, the separated edges act as shearing edges, cutting ofi any protuberances within the molded tile and leaving a smooth and relatively finished surface. The core is not completelywithdrawn, but is withdrawn to a certain marked point visible on the exterior of the core and more cement is filled around the core and the operation is repeated until the desired length of pipe is complete as a monolith. The core is quite flexible and there is no necessity of attempting to make a straight tile or pipe for the finished pipe may be quite irregular lengthwise.

Where used for irrigation purposes the pipe is pierced at suitable intervals to permit the escape of water directed therethrough, but no particular directions can be given for piercing the pipe, since such arrangement will depend upon and will vary with the conditions present.

The invention will be best understood from a consideration of the following detailed description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, with the further understandingthat while the drawings show a practical form of the invention, the latter is not confined to any strict conformity with the showing of the drawings, but may be changed and modified so long as such changes and modifications fall within the scope of the appended claims.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a plan View of a core constructed in accordance with the present invention. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section on a larger scale than Fig. 1. Figs. 3, 4t and 5 are more or less schematic sections of a trench showing steps in the molding of a pipe with the core of'the present invention. Fig. 6 is a longitudinal section of a portion of a trench showing a portion of 'nished pipe and the position of the core for a continuation of the pipe being constructed.

In the following description the pipe is assumed to be made of a suitable mixture of cement and other ingredients, which mixture is usually termed concrete, and the word concrete is used in the sense of including any suitable mixture for the purpose.

In accordance with the present invention there is provided a core 1 comprising a metallic shell formed of a long narrow thin strip or ribbon of metal of the kind usually termed strap metal, and this strip is coiled helically so that the turns are closely adj acent, but in the normal condition of the core these turns do not touch, being slightly sepa rated, as indicated at 2. Of course, these turns may touch here and there, but this is not purposely done. The metal of thecore itself may be of resilient nature, or the coiling of the metal may make the core of a more or less resilient character.

The core is relatively long with respect to its diameter. For instance, a. core may be made of strap or band metal, usually steel, of from seven-eighths of an inch to an inch wide, and about onethirty-second of an inch thick and wound into a helix approaching an inch and a half in diameter, and such a core may be twelve or more feet long. The separation between the turns may approach one-eighth of an inch. Such a core is flexible and sufficiently limber or pliant that if bent out of a straight line it will remain in such bent position. Also if held at one end the core may be reduced in diameter by turning the other end in the proper direction.

The exterior surface of the core is smooth, and of substantially the same diameter throughout, so that at all points the exterior surface member 1 is parallel with the longitudinal axis'of the core. At one end a cup 3 is made fast to the corresponding end of the helix by rivets a or otherwise. This cup may be quite short, say, an inch and a half in length more or less. At the other end of the core there is inserted a sleeve 5 to which the corresponding end of the core is made fast by screws 6 or in any other appropriate manner. The sleeve 5 is provided with an axial prolongation 7 of less external diameter than the sleeve, but preferably of the same internal diameter, this arolongation extending beyond the corresponding end of the core which terminates at or short of the end of the sleeve 5 from which the prolongation 7 proceeds. The end of the prolongation 7 remote from the sleeve 5 is inserted into a socket 8 on one end of a crank handle 9, the socket 8 being made fast to the prolongation 7 by a pin 10 or in any other suitable manner. The prolongation 7 is of less external diameter than either the sleeve 5 or socket 8.,

and mounted on this prolongation is a tubular handle 11 held from longitudinal movement on the prolongation by the sleeve 5 and socket 8, but capable of free rotation thereon.

Extending longitudinally through the core is a flexible inextensible strand 12 which may be made of twisted or braided wire rope or cord. At one end the strand 12 is connected to an eye pin 13 extended through a central hole 14 in the closed end of the cup 3 and there headed as shown at 15 so as to form a swivel. The other end of the strand 12 is connected to one end of a coiled spring 16, the other end of which extends through the sleeve 5 and is there connected to one end of a rod 17, the other end of which is held by the pin 10, the corresponding end of the rod being formed into an eye 18 traversed by the pin 10. The spring 16 serves to take up slack in the strand 12, but has not sufficient power to draw the coils of the core together. The spring, however, is so resistant to extensive forces that the strand 12 with the small length of spring 16 connected thereto is substantially inextensible and practically prevents elongation of the core beyond a predetermined limit.

, of the finished pipe.

At a point about two feet more or less from the end of the core carrying the cup 3 a short length of metal 19 is soldered or otherwise connected to the exterior of a turn of the core, and if the core is made of steel this short length 19 of metal may be made of brass or some other appropriate metal readily distinguishablefrom the core on observation. The metal piece 19 is designed to serve as a guide, sothat on withdrawing the.

core from a finished length of pipe in a manner to be hereinafter described, the operator will be apprised by the coming into sight of the metal 19 that the corresponding end of the core is approaching, and hence stops the tions. In the bottom of the trench there may, if desired, be formed a channel 21 narrower than the width of the trench and roughly shaped in conformity with the desired form of the pipe.

In the channel 21 there is deposited a layer 22 of concrete, and this layer may be readily shaped into the form of a longitudinal half The core is then deposited onthe layer 22- and thereafter another layer23 of concrete is placed in cover ing relation to the core. These three steps are indicated in Figs. 8, 4: and 5.

:As soon as the concrete has set sufficiently, which need not take very long, and while the concrete is still in a more'or less green state, the crank 9 is rotated thereby winding up the helix tocause it to collapse more or less and sufliciently to permit the withdrawal of the helix from the already formed pipe. This withdrawal of the helix lengthwise of the pipe causes the relatively thin edges of the band or fiat strip out of which the helix is formed, to scrape along the inner wall of the molded pipe and because of the spacing of the turns of the helix and a slight additional separation of the adjacent edges of the turns due to a moderate yielding of the spring 16, removed concrete finds its way into the interior of the helix and is drawn out of the finished pipe with the helix. The result is that the interior of the pipe from which the core has been withdrawn is markedly smooth and surplus concrete is drawn out of the finished pipe by the core itself. When the core becomes loaded'with concrete it is wholly withdrawn from the finished pipe and the concrete is removed by washing the core with water. The swivel 13 permits the winding up of While such channel is to be preferred, it is not at all necessary.

' The spring also tends to take up any slack which might occur in the flexible strand 12 on the twisting of the core to reduce its external diameter, the separation of the turns of the core facilitating the twisting action.

Nhen the core is being withdrawn from the finished pipe the appearance of the marking or gage metal strip 19 determines the extent of withdrawal of the core, so that there is no likelihood of entirely withdrawing the core, which latter action might result in the collapse of the end of the pipe while the reintroduction of the core will be found to be difficult and might result in more or less choking of the pipe by dislodging some of the interior thereof. In the construction of the pipe the trench 20 may be prepared throughout a long length before any pipe is made, or it may be dug progressively, the pipe produced in the trench, and the trench filled in. Because of the flexible nature of the core the trench may be diverted to one side or the other without material interference with the formation of the pipe and the proper manipulation of the core. Because of the limberness or pliancy of the core, and its relative great length, it may be quite crooked even when extended upon the ground and readily conforms to any longitudinal irregularities of the trench and of the pipe formed therein, for such irregularities are of no moment. As already indicated, the cores may be made quite long and in practice have been made from twelve to sixteen feet or more in length, and may be of any length up to that which would cause frictional resistance too great for the withdrawal. of the core.

Vfhere'the finished pipe is intended for irrigating purposes it is perforated at suitable intervals so that water introduced into the pipe will readily find escape into the surrounding earth after the pipe is made and the trench is filled in, thus suitably moistening the earth and adapting it for crops. Of course, the pipe may be built with laterals and may be continued in any direction and to any desired extent. Hence at a comparatively slight cost long lengths of pipe practica-lly continuous from beginning to end may be built directly in the ground with outlets wherever desired permitting outflow of water into the ground below the surface thereof, and thereby thoroughly irrigating the ground without waste of water by evapoation or otherwise.

For the production of irrigating piping or tiling with the mold of the present invention no special machinery is necessary, nor is it necessary to employ skilled labor and no particular care is needed in the laying of the pipe as would occur with short lengths of already made pipe, since in laying the latter care must be taken with respect tothe alinement thereof.

The present application is a continuation in part of my application No. 727,633, filed October 24, 1912, for making continuous concrete pipes or tiles, except that the present application includes some improvements in details of construction of the core.

What is claimed is 1. A core structure for the production of concrete and like piping, comprising a metallic ribbon with a flat molding face and wound into an elongated helix capable of being reduced in diameter by twisting it about a longitudinal axis, said core being provided with means for preventing elongation thereof beyond a predetermined limit,

and said core being laterally limber so as to permit it to be bent and laid in straight or crooked trenches.

2. A flexible core structure for the pro duction of concrete piping or tiling in straight or crooked lines, comprising an elongated, comparatively narrow ribbon of resilient material with a flat molding face and wound into a helix with the ends of the core connected by an interior substantially inextensible flexible member.

3. A core for use in connection with the production of concrete piping or tiling com prising an elongated flexible helix formed of a narrow strip of flat metal, and a substantially non-extensible flexible strand connected .at one end to the corresponding end of the helix and extending through the latter beyond the other end thereof, said core having a manipulating member connected to the helix and to the strand and extending beyond one end of the core.

4;. A flexible core structure adapted for the production of concrete and like piping in straight or crooked lines, comprising a metallic ribbon with a flat face and wound into an elongated helix having the turns spaced in edge to edge relation, means aranged interiorly of the helix for preventing elongation of the core beyond a predeter mined limit, and a manipulating member connected to one end of the core for twisting the latter about its longitudinal axis for the reduction of the diameter of the core so as to permit its withdrawal from the formed pipe.

5. A core structure for the production of concrete piping or tiling, comprising an elongated comparatively narrow band wound into a helix and having the ends connected to an interior substantially inextensible flexible member, the turns of the helix being in spaced edge to edge relation and there constituting shearing edges for smoothing the inner wall of the molded pipe.

6. A core for use in connection with the production of concrete piping or tiling, comprisingan elongated narrow flat metal ribbon wound into the form of an elongated limber helix with the turns normally out of contact, and a substantially non-extensible flexible strand connected at the ends to the ends of the helix, said core being also provided with a manipulating member at one end.

7. A core structure for the production 0t concrete and like piping in the form of an elongated helix with a smooth molding face, and with the turns spaced apart in the direction of the length of the core, a substantially inextensible flexible member swiveled at one end to the corresponding end of the core and extending through the other end of the core, and a manipulating member at said lastnamed end of the core fixed thereto and to the flexible member for twisting the core to reduce its diameter.

8. A core structure for the production of concrete piping and tiling, comprising an elongated comparatively narrow band wound into a helix, an inextensible flexible member swiveled at one end to the corresponding end of the core and adjacent to the other end of the core connected to an extension spring, and a handle member at the last-named end of the core connected thereto and to the spring for simultaneously twisting the core and inextensible flexible member.

9. A core structure for the production of concrete pipe and tiling comprising an elongated comparatively narrow band wound into a helix, an inextensible flexible strand swiveled at one end to the corresponding end of the helix and at the other endconnected to an extension spring adjacent to the corresponding other end of the helix, and a crank member connected to the lastnamed end of the helix and to the spring and provided with an exterior loose sleeve constituting a ha-ndhold for sustaining the corresponding end of the core while the crank is rotated to twist the helix to reduce its diameter and also simultaneously rotate the spring and inextensible strand.

10. A. core structure for the production of concrete pipe and tiling, comprising an elongated comparatively narrow band wound into a helix, an inextensible flexible strand swiveled at one end to the corresponding end oi'xthe helix, and a crank member connected to the other end of the helix and provided with an exterior loose sleeve constituting a handhold for sustaining the corresponding end of the helix while the'crank is rotated to twist said helix to reduce its diameter and also simultaneously rotate the strand. 1

11. A core structure for the production of concrete pipe and tiling, comprising an elongated comparatively narrow metallic ribbon wound into a helix an inexpansible flexible strand swiveled at one end to the corresponding end of the helix, a prolonged sleeve connected at one end to the helix, and a crank member fast to the other end of the prolonged sleeve and to the strand.

12. A core structure for the production of concrete pipe and tiling, comprising an elongated comparatively narrow metallic ribbon wound into a helix, an inexpansible flexible strand swiveled at one end to the corresponding end of the helix, a prolonged sleeve connected at one end to the helix, and

a crank member fast to the other end of the the prolongation by said sleeve and crank and free to rotate on the prolongation.

In testimony, that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto aifixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

THOMAS O. BERRY.

iVitnesses OSCAR T. HALLEY, W. B. Hoon.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of ratents,

Washington, D. G. 

